The UK drinks industry is suffering from a CO2 shortage following the closure of several large fertiliser plants in Europe.

CO2 is used to put the bubbles into ciders made at Myrtle Farm and while lovers of Thatchers Gold and Haze are unlikely to go without, production is being scaled back.

The company has confirmed production will be significantly reduced from June 28 until it receives another delivery of C02 next week.

Thatchers, who are based in Somerset, has confirmed it will scale back production due to a carbon dioxide shortage (Image: Clare Green)

Thatchers said: “It is not just a difficult time for us, but for the whole industry.”

Martin Thatcher, managing director of Thatchers Cider, told the Somerset County Gazette: “Up until today we’ve been able to keep production of our ciders going on a limited basis to ensure customers receive most of their orders.

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“Deliveries will continue wherever possible over the coming days, however, like many other drinks producers, we are now unlikely to receive any deliveries of CO2 until next week, and that means we will regrettably need to curtail production.

“As soon as we receive our next supply, all of us at Myrtle Farm will be working flat out to build up our supplies and get our ciders out to our customers.

Martin Thatcher, who is managing director of Thatchers, said his company will work "flat out" to build up supplies (Image: Neil Phillips)

“There is a significant amount of Thatchers cider at pubs and wholesalers in the region, as well as supermarkets – so we’re unlikely to see people going without Thatchers Gold in the near future.”

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It comes as food and drink companies put plans in place to minimise disruption for consumers.

A Wetherspoon spokesman said some pubs would be without John Smith's and Strongbow cider - but said that supplier Heineken had advised both would be available again in a couple of days.

What is CO2 used for?

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CO2 is widely used in the food processing and drinks industries - it puts the fizz into beer, cider and soft drinks, and is used in food packaging to extend the shelf life of salads, fresh meat and poultry.

The gas is also seen as the most humane way to stun pigs and chickens before slaughter.

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Carbon dioxide is also needed to create dry ice, another product extensively used in the food industry to help keeps things chilled in transit.

The gas is also widely used outside the food and drinks sectors. CO2 is needed for certain medical procedures, and is used in the manufacture of semiconductor devices and by oil companies to improve the extraction of crude.

Why is there a shortage?

Carbon dioxide is used to put the fizz into beer and cider (Image: PA)

A lot of CO2 is created as a by-product from ammonia production that is used in the fertiliser industry. Other sources are bio-ethanol plants.

However, a number of big mainland European fertiliser plants closed down for routine maintenance. And in the UK, only two of five plants that supply CO2 are operating at the moment.

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Peak consumption for fertiliser is the winter, so chemical companies have traditionally scaled back production as summer approaches. Also, the current low price of ammonia means producers have little incentive to restart production quickly.

It's a case of bad timing that several plants wound down operations together, just as demand for food and drink was being ramped up by the good weather and football's World Cup.